HIV/AIDS:Benue FirstLady Procures AVR drugs worth N250m.

The Benue State FirstLady Arc Mrs Dooshima Suswam has procured AVR drugs worth N250m
In what appeared a renewed onslaught against the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Benue State, the state government has procured large quantities of anti-retroviral drugs valued at over N250 million for the treatment of the victims of the virus.

Also procured by the state government were drugs for the treatment of opportunistic infections for distribution to the 23 HIV/AIDS counseling and treatment centres across the state.

This hint was dropped by Benue State First Lady, Mrs. Yemisi Doo-Suswam at an interactive session with newsmen in Makurdi.

Mrs. Suswam, who is the initiator of the Sev Av Foundation, intimated that her foundation has establish two HIV/AIDS treatment centres in the state while work on the third was still ongoing.

She stressed that the foundation was working tirelessly across the state to ensure the drastic reduction of the level of infection in Benue State.

Socio-economic implications

According to her, the intensified campaign being mounted by Sev Av on the dangers of the virus and its implication on the socio-economic life of the people and the first hand treatment availed the infected, had to a large extent created better awareness of the virus and succour to victims in the state.

Sev Av Foundation on duty

She said: “The renewed onslaught on the virus in Benue State is yielding positive result because government and the Sev Av Foundation are neck deep in the campaign.

“This accounts for the better awareness of the dangers posed by the virus and better treatment facilities availed victims especially the women folk who constitute a larger percentage of the infected and affected.

“With the increased awareness and greater sensitivity people are now willing to turn up for voluntary testing and counseling which is also a plus to the campaign to reduce the level of infection in the state.”

The First Lady further stressed that the media has a critical role to play in the fight against the virus and the campaign to reduce infection level in the state in particular and country at large.

She said: “Government is doing its best and my foundation is not resting either. But this fight will be deepened with the collaboration of newsmen who also have a role to play to ensure the success of the campaign.